What are the effects of oxygen inhalation after surgery?

Oxygen inhalation is a very important conditioning and treatment method in modern medicine, because oxygen is the key substance for cells to maintain healthy vitality. Without oxygen, the metabolic process cannot be completed, causing great threat to life. Oxygen inhalation is generally used in special situations such as physical illness. Among them, oxygen inhalation after surgery is a more common method. Let’s take a look at the effects of oxygen inhalation after surgery. I hope everyone can understand it.

The role of postoperative oxygen inhalation:

1. Major surgeries are mostly performed under general anesthesia. In the early stage after general anesthesia, patients experience respiratory amnesia and respiratory muscle function has not fully recovered. Oxygen inhalation helps increase blood oxygen.

2. After thoracotomy and laparotomy, respiratory function is limited and oxygen is required.

3. Major surgery can easily cause a stress response in the body, and the patient's lung function will be greatly affected, so oxygen should be administered.

Side effects of oxygen

In general, oxygen is safe and effective when used correctly. The side effects of oxygen inhalation have relatively high thresholds in terms of oxygen concentration (oxygen concentration reaches 100%) and continuous oxygen inhalation time (continuously for 24 hours), and home oxygen inhalation is not very relevant. According to the American Thoracic Society, there are several identifiable dangers associated with oxygen therapy that you should be aware of.

Skin irritation and dry nose

These problems may include: feeling dry, a bloody nose, or skin irritation from the nasal cannula or mask.

Because oxygen therapy has a drying effect on the nasal cavity, it is not uncommon to experience skin irritation such as chapped skin. Using a moisturizing product such as petroleum jelly can help lubricate and soothe your nasal passages, making them more comfortable during oxygen therapy. This phenomenon occurs when oxygen is inhaled at a flow rate greater than 4 liters. Oxygen inhalation at a flow rate less than 4 liters is considered safe.

Oxygen toxicity

Oxygen poisoning is generally caused by long-term exposure to a high-pressure pure oxygen environment. Oxygen poisoning may occur if high-pressure oxygen (taking 2 atmospheres as an example) is inhaled continuously for about 4 hours. Of course, the standards are not the same. More articles point out that under normal atmospheric pressure, 100% pure oxygen for 24 hours is the critical point for oxygen poisoning. When the oxygen flow rate is below 4 liters, home oxygen therapy is safe because the oxygen concentration is only about 90%. The nasal cannula is not a closed oxygen inhalation and is mixed with a large amount of air.